Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-02-21
~veritiss, at least let us keep step lest we stand

WITH woisking people, because the patriarchal
idea simply attaches to service with the ma
dolity of employers; it does not bind them
any more TO the care and protection of the
employed, In great cities, and under the
new social and economic conditions, it is
hardly possible that it should; but there is
nothing to prevent the kindly mar or woman
from putting the widest and highest inter-
probation upon his or her own duties, while
recognizing other peoples rights. The diff
Guilty with the majority is that they demand
the patriarchal service, while taking every
advantage of the needs of those they employ,
and deliberately Sinking patriarchal respon-
sibility. Less generosity, more justice, is the
need Of the Eour. Nothing is more common
than the Willingness to give IS Of the $50
which has been unjustly gained or withheld.
Pay what is due, and let every man and wo-
man bs his or her own almoner.
In the meantime, if talk was work there
would be no difficulty in having plenty of it
done. Never was SO much said upon a sub
ject-never was there more difficulty in find
ing those who have been properly trained to
any kind of work. The individual worker
has given place to machinery and corpora
tons; II the latter have no souls the former
have no recognizable bodies, and re-
quire only a little experience, nj train
ing or education. General knowledge
is undoubtedly more diffused, but the
special ignorance of to-day would put to
shame the middle ages. The state needs to
come to the rescue, since trades will not
| admit Of learners, and the efforts made by
individuals are after all but drops in the
bucket.
The talk may not, however, be so ~fruitless
as it seems il it educates public opinion to
growing necessities. Our system Of public
schools has grown into cumulative provision
for the children of the rich or well to do,
instead Of aids to the development and train-
ing Of the poor. If an effort is made to send
the children to the primary school-and it
must be remembered that the cleanliness, the
! decent clothing, the regularity. all require
effort on the part of those whose habits are
often the opposite of clearly and regular
there is nothing subsequently to supplement
the three RS and make the girl or boy more
useful III the home or in the shop.
At a recent meeting OF the New York
alumnn Of such colleges as Vassar, Wellesley,
the Boston university, the University of
Michigan, Cornell and others, the young
women discussed the question of employment
for educated women, outside that of teaching,
which is overstocked..They had with thefn a
woman JOB printer and a woman dentist, the
| only representatives of these occupations in
New York who are masters, not jourieymen.
They found that architecture, real estate and
business of various kinds offered fair oppor-
~tuaities, provided the requisite preparatory
training was obtained and the work con-
Quoted on true business principles.
There must be some W. of work for works
sake by those who would succeed in it; and
while women can never hope to compete with
men on their own ground of acquisition and
| appropriation, there Is q world of hand in
dustry open TO them, in which, though there
may be less of possible profit, there is in
tinitely more of real achievement and enjoy
ment. Machine labor must always present a.
certain uniform n monotensus character;
hand work alone Is capable of natural di-
versity and expression. Skilled work of this
kin always commands its price, and many
women have made an Independent position
by becoming theacsnters of such Industries.
Organized industry is inevitable in these
days of rapidly growing populations and
sharp composition; the question is shall it be
organized by industry itself, for its own
benefit, or shall this industry be employed
for the, benefit and profit of othersa
People with or without an idea press to the
crowded cities, when all they need is to dig
and build at home. Every city was once a
waste. once d hamlet. once o little village.
| once a town Of moderate size and proportions
unknown beyond its own limits. Instead OF
adding to this overgrowth, create centers of
industry in your WI own and eighborhood.
Train your OWN workers, foster home indus
tries, d~etelcpEhome resources. All over the
country Isolated women are begging 70 know
in what profitable way they can use their
leisure hours-an hour snatched now and then
from house work, the care OF children or!the
labors of the farm. Singly they can do moth.
ing that wou1dSdo more than add the lnerest
| occasional and uncertain pittance to their re-
sources; but IL soma wise and energetic
woman would combine these ~neighborhood
forces In the raising OF silk; In the produc-
ton of q single y~egetable-say cabbage or
onions, for which the region became
famous-industries would be built up
like that of cheese and fruit canning by
men. A jam.as well known as Scotch mar
malade or English raspberry jam would
make the fortune of district; and what is it
to prevent another from establishing a repu-
tation for hand knitting, Investigating mod
ern methods, looking up best patterns and
materials, and utilizing the labor of old and.
young in a diversity of beautiful and useful
a~rticlesi Industry is to goforward, not back
Organization is its source of strength and
progressive development. We are not to
spend our force fighting the inevitable or be-
waiting that which is gone, not to return but
use the energy we possess to assist the march
OF events and keep our place in the ranks or
we shall inevitably fall by the wayside or
bring up the inglorious rear; and the woman
of the future is not to do either.
JENNY JUNE.
1870. 1EHf5